Baling-press.



No. 685,833. frtented Nov. 5; Ism.

G. n. HAYES. BALING PRESS.

(Appliation med Apr. 11, 1901.) (llo Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

No. 885,888. `marmi-Nm'. 5, 190|. s. n. HAYES.

BALING PRESS.

(Application led Apr. 1`l1, 1901.)

m: Norms PETERS cn, Havo-umol, ummm-0N. u c.

lUNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' GEORGE DANIEL HAYES, o-E HILLsBoRo, TEXAS.

BALlNe-PRES'S.

SEEGEEICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent N o. 685,838, dated November 5, 1901. Appntson flied April 11, 1901. serial No. 55,358. (No andere To t-ZZ whom t 771,04/ concern: v

Beitknown that I, GEoReE DANIEL HAYES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hillsboro, in the county of Hill and State of Texas have invented a new and useful Baling-Press, of which the following is a specifi-` cation.

My present invention relates to improvements in baling-presses, and has for its object to provide apress of this character with aplunger operated by mechanism actuated either manually or by horse-power, orboth, and arranged to exert a maximum compression with a minimum expenditure of power from whatever source supplied.

A further object of the invention is to apply the power to the plunger in a manner to gainspeed at the sacrifice of power during the beginning of the plunger-stroke and to accumulate power at the sacrifice of speed at the en ding of the stroke, so that the force applied will increase in like proportion as the resistance to the movement of the plunger is increased bythe 'compression of the bale.

Y A still further object of the invention is to equip the press with a plunger or plunger` head capable of being slightly constricted to prevent the plunger from becoming stuck or wedged in thecompression-chamber by the warping or other distortion of the walls thereof or by the wedging of the hayT or other material between the plunger and the adjacent wall of the chamber within which it operates.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel check devices for preventing backward movement of the material after it has been forced past the charge chamber or space below the hopper, and still another object is to provide adjustable mechanism for yieldingly retaining the walls of the baling-chamber at the extreme rear end of the press, so that the Walls of said chamber at this point will be urged inwardly under any desired pressure, accordingly as a loose or a tightly-compressed bale is required, the application of such yielding resistance permitting slight outward movement of the chamber-walls in the event of the bale becoming checked, as for instance, when wet or green hay is being handled.

Other objects of the invention subordinate to those enumerated will be clearly comprehended as the necessity for their accomplishment is developed in the succeeding description ofthe preferred form of my invention, which I have illustrated in the accompany ing drawings and which is embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my baling-press complete. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View on a somewhatenlarged scale in the plane of the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a similar view in the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is still another transverse sectional view on the line 4: 4.- of Fig. l; and Fig. 5 is a central longitudinalsection through a portion of the press, illustrating certain positions of the plunger andplunger-operating mechanism in dotted lines.`

For the support of the press as an entirety and in order to facilitate the transportation thereof from place to place I provide a pair of sills or runners-6, which by Abeing equipped with wheels may be transformed into a supporting-truck, as shown in the drawings, although it is evident that the transportation of the press may be effected through the me- 1 l dinm of wheels or runners, as may be desired. These sills or runners 6 are retained in spaced relation by cross bars or beams 7, which carry the press proper, comprchending an elongated baling-chamber of the usual form and located approximately midway between the ends ofthe sills. The baling-chan1 ber is defined between the bottom board 8, side boards 9 and l0, and top 11, the side boards being extended forwardly a considerable distance beyond the front end of the baling-chamber for the purpose of providing a partially-inclosed space for the plunger-operating mechanism, to be hereinafter described, these forwardly-extending portions of the side boards also serving as supporting means for certain of the operating elements.

The plunger l2, constructed in the manner to be described,is mounted for reciprocation, as usual, within the baling-chamber, or at least within that portion usually termed the charge-chamber, into which the 'hay is thrown and Vthereafter forced forward and compressed to form the bale as the plunger IOO is repeatedly reciprocated. Astrengthening-` frame, defined by posts 13 and 14 and' crosspieces l and16,is provided upon the exterior of the baling-chamber immediately in ad.- Vancev of the hopper 17, this framebeingextended a considerable distance above the top of thepress in orderto locate the cross-bar 1'6 at a sufiicient elevationto permit the top 1l to be raised upon the release of thecro'ss-y bar 1 5 from the posts, saidlast-named cross-v `bar being preferably secured'to the top 11.

nectedby a cross-piece 21, imposedupon the top thereof. In a similar manner the ,eX- treme rear end of the press is strengthened,

but not by rigidframes such asencircle';f1.nld.

retain the Walls of the baling chamber ,proper-that is to say, of that portion ofthe press within which the plunger operates to Instead compress the material to be baled. of such rigid retention the rear ends of the side Walls ofthe baling-chamber are provided "with bars 22 and 23, extending above and be-` low the press and equipped, vrespectivelyvith stout springs 24 and 25, secured mediallylto the bars and having their free endsoffset from the `outer facesV thereof. vThe contiguous ends of the'opposed springs are connected. by tension-rods 26 and ,27, disposed horiz'onf.v

tally above and below the press and preferably guided within ythe ends of the bars 22 and 23. These tension-rods are'preferablyh' in the form of' bolts or are provided with nuts 27, by means `of which' the tension of the.

' springs isincreased in order to oppose more thereof.

or less resistance tothe separative movementk fof the side walls .of the press as the bale is being forced beyond the constricted portion erted upon the bale when the latter is located at thje'rear end of the balingchamber,`it being understood that those portions of the side walls 9 andlO located beyond the posts l18 and 19 are provided with suitable openings 28 and 29 to facilitate the tying `of thebale.

prior to its discharge from the press.

I have stated that one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel form of check designed to prevent the backward movement of the bale or of the charge after ithas been forced beyond the charge-chamber By means of this tension mechanism any desired lateral pressure may be eX-' intermediate of lits endswith a ratchet-wheel 32,- engaging-a spring-pawl 33, attached to the pressand designed -to prevent the rotation of the check-spool-in one direction. vEach `of these spools isv provided with yterminal vvcheck#wheels 34, the check-teeth of which extend-through openings 36 in the side walls of the press, the teethv 3,5 being preferably formed in the manner of jordinary ratchet` teethyso that the radial l faces thereof may be opposed to the hayror other'.material to prevent the latter from expanding rearwardly kinto the charge-chamber after lhaving been ,forced beyondsaidchamber bythelplunger.

The action of thesecheckl devices'is substantiall y identical'with'similar appliancesv now in use; but'thespecificvforin of this feature of my press. is believed-to be patentable', partioularly"inY that laspect in which each of said devices involves a pluralityjof check-wheels v anda retarding device or ratchet'mecha'nism common thereto. For lthe purpose of -similarly preventing or ,checking they backward movement of the material beingcompressed and to insurel the eifectiveclearing of the y*plu nger asitmoves back toits initial d position I `provide, a checkfroller37, located at the rear side of the hopper, at'the bottom thereof,

and having longitudinallydisposed teeth, as shown,- which are' engaged bya pawl'39, per- `inittingfreefrotation ofthe rollerin one direction as the plungerad'vances andpreventying such backward movement thereof as would permit., the hay Aor other ',material to expand back into the hopper or over the upper side ofthe rearwardly-moving plunger.

The vplunger 12, which has been stated to be another improved feature of the press, is formed with a bifnrcated head in order to `define relatively movable portions 40 and 41,

therear end of thev portion .or part 40 being considerably reduced to provide a more or less `yielding connection or spring portion, (indicated at 42,) so that when the plunger is subjected to such resistance as might endanger the operation of the vpress the upperportion or bifurcation 40 of the plunger will yield to permit the plunger to move freely within its chamber. TheLplunger-head, which is naturally considerably narrower than the presschamber, is equipped With terminal-compressionmembers or platesr43 and 44, extending transversely across the chamber, and a top plate ,'45, whichis sufciently extensive to prevent the hay orother materialfed into the hopper 17 from dropping behind thecompression members when the plunger. is thrust forward. The members 43 and 44 are secured, of course, to the relatively yielding portions of the plunger-head and are notched, as indicated at 47, for the accommodation `of the check-wheels, the space between the compression members being constantly kept closed by a guard-plate y46, secured to the lower member 44 and lying closeV but loosely against the plate43. The plunger will thus be observed to comprise the plunger proper,

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a bifurcated head, and compressing members carried by thebifurcations of the head and considerably wider than the plunger proper.

By the utilization of the plunger-head having relatively yielding portions and a guardplate which constantly closes the interval between them I am enabled to secure a plunger which will move freely within the balingchamber, but the working or compression faces of which will be continuous, so as to preclude the possibility of having the hay caught by the plunger and carried back as the press is operated. The free antifrictional movement of the plunger is further insured by the provision of a' supporting-roller 49, carried by the head and traveling upon the bottom of the press, and additional rollers 53 and 54, traveling in ways formed between track-bars 55 and 56 "and guide-bars 57 and 58, said rollers being `mounted upon trunnions 5l and 52, extending from the opposite ends of an extension or tongue 50, constituting a portion of the plunger. The track and guide bars, constituting supports and keepers for the rollers, are in the present embodiment of the invention-fixed upon the inner faces of the side walls of the press; but, if desired, these bars may be eliminated, and the walls of the press might in that event be grooved or otherwise formed with guides for the accommodation of the rollers.

We now come to a consideration of the novel plunger-operatin g mechanism by means vof which, as already stated, I am enabled tol operate the press with an economical expenditure of power and in a manner to secure the greatest conversion of energy during the latter portion of the plunger-stroke. The plunger-operating mechanism comprehends a pair of swinging arms 59, supported at their lower ends upon the inner faces of the side walls of the press a considerable distance in front of the balingchamber and preferably adjacent to the front end of the press. These arms constituteaswingingsupport for the fulcrum of the plunger-lever 60, designed to be operated to effect a forward reciprocation of the plunger after the charge has been deposited in advance of `the compression members through the hopper 17, the shifting fulcrum of the lever 60 being indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings by thenumeral 60a. The short end of the plunger-lever 60 is formed with a beak 60h, disposed for engagement with a shoulder 6l, formed upon the tongue 50 by notching theupper side of the latter ata point about midway between its ends. In practice the outer or long end ofthe plunger-lever is drawn down in any suitable manner, and as the plunger is advanced the swinging supports 59 permit the fulcrum 60LL to describe an arc, thereby continuing the operative connection between the beak 60b and the shoulder 6l for a much greater travel than would be possible if the fulcrum remained stationary and the operative contact were continued vonly during such an arc as would be described by the swinging of the beak. The retraction of the lever 60 is effected by one or more reactive elements-as, for instance, a heavy spiral spring 62, connected at one end to the lever 60 at a point above the fulcrum thereof and at its opposite end to the crossbar 16. This spring is preferably employed when the press is operated otherwise than manually-as, for instance, by horse-power; but when the power available is not sufficiently great to warrant the employment of a spring of this strength a second spring 63 may be employed in lieu of the spring 62, or in some instances bot-h of these springs may be employed at the same time. Thev spring 63 is of the ordinary strip type and is carried at its lower end upon a pin 64, secured to the press-frame, and is guided by any suitable means to insure its proper operative relation with the lever 60. The retraction of the plunger, as will hereinafter more fully appear, is entirely independent of the retraction of the operating mechanism, because at the limit of the plunger-stroke the operating-lever is automatically disengaged therefrom, and the plunger is returned to its initial position by a sudden movement, so that the charge-chamber may be entirely clear and the operator may be engaged in depositing a new charge before the plunger while the draft-animals are being backed to again position the operating mechanism for a repetition of the compressing operation-that is to say, the plunger is of course advanced as the operating mechanism is moved by the power applied; but as some considerable time is consumed in retracting the operating mechanism or restoring it to its original position this time is utilized for resupplying the charge-chamber, and this economy is practiced by the employment of a reactive element-as, for instance, a spring 65, secured at one end to the plunger and at its opposite end to a pin E56-for the purpose of restoring the plunger to its initial position after its work has been accom-` plished. The manual operation of the lever 60 is facilitated by the provision of a handle 72 at the outer end thereof; but as the press will ordinarily be power-operated a doublesheaved block 67 is preferably swung over the cross-bar 68 at the front end of the press, and a pair of sheaves 69 are mounted upon the lever 60, these several sheaves, in connection with a rope or cable 70 constituting block-and-tackle-operating mechanismi As illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the cable is secured at one end to a bar 68 and after being reeved through the blocks in a manner well understood `in the art is attached to Van operating element-as, for instance, a singletree 7lto which the draft animal or animals are attached.

One of the objects of myinvention, which, however, is perhaps subordinate to those already enumerated as being primary, is the arrangement of the press for transportation, or rather for movement for short distances--as,

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"I IO for instance,from one stack of hay to anotherwithout necessity for disorganizing the power mechanism or without detachin g the draf tanimals therefrom. To the accomplishment of this end a pair of hounds 73 are extended forwardly from the running-gear of the press and pivotally sustain a short draft tongue or pole 74, equipped with an upstanding hook 76 adjacent to its front end and with a downsary `to shift the cable under the hook 76,

when, as will be evident, the forward movement of the draft-animals will first lift the tongue out of contact with the ground and will then move the press until the latter is again permanently located or chocked by the release of the cable from the hook 76 and the dropping of the tongue to cause a rengaget ment of thel anchor-hook 75 with the ground.

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When this has been done, the press will be again in condition for operation and the-baling of the hay may be proceeded with.

Brieii y, the operation of the press is as follows: The hay or other material fed to the hopper 17 is received within the charge-'cham-` ber, and the horses are started forward. The beak 60b of the operating-lever 60 by engagement withthe shoulder 6l of the plungerwill advance the latter until thechargehas been pointed out.l l

plungertravel-it will be-operated under con-` .forced beyondy the check-wheels and check- ,roller 37,I the backward rotation of which checking device-ispreventedin the manner Duringthev main portion ofthe l siderable, speed loyfreason ofthe fact that j mentthe fultnfumrOf will be practically sta.-

-whilethelowerend .of the lever isi traveling'` through the .horizontal arc of itsmove- 4tionary. -As soon, however, 'as Vthe beak 60b reachesvv that point of v:its movement where,

\ presupposing agiixedlfulcrum for the lever, y

it willbeginto travel through a vvertical arc, the fulcrum 60 instead begins to describe a a downward arc, due to the downward swinging advance ofthe plungerduring thelatter por-"- tionofits movement willbe due. largely to the.v arcuate movement of the fulcrumrGO, although,of course, asthe power is applied-to the long end of the lever there will also be slight i independentforward movement'of the'beak 60b aside fromfthat imparted bythe shifting of its fulcrum. y' As soon as thelimit'of stroke is reached the beak GObby reason of its curvature will have been'withdrawn toa position fected.

vlimit off-its movement.

3. In a' baling-press, the combination withy the hailing-chamber, a'plunger movablethereabove the shoulder, and the suddenv retraction of the plunger will be effected through the medium of the powerful reactive element 65. If now the cable is slackened, the springs 62 or 63, or both of them, vwill effect the rey traction of the'operating-lever, the beak of whichwill again engagethe shoulder 6l whenever said beak has been urged rearwardly a sufficient distance to permit it to drop into the notch formed in the tongue 50, at which time a repetition ofthe operation maybe ef- In like manner the various other features of the invention are made manifest in the operation of the press-as, for instance,

the yielding of the bifurcated plunger-head will prevent the sticking thereof in the `baling-chamber, the novel checkingdevices will prevent the rearward movement of the hay after the charge is thrust forward and compressed, and by means of the springs 2.4 and thetension-rods 26 and 27 the sides of the baling-chamber may be urged inwardlywith sufficient pressure toeffect any desired lateral compression of the bale Vimmediately prior to the dischargethereof -from the press. From thelforegoing it will b e observedthat l have produced a simple, durable, and eilicient baling-press designed to be manually or power operated and to accomplish the compression of hay or other suitable-material into bales with a minimum expenditure of power from whatever source it maybe obtained; but while the illustrated embodiment of the invention'appea'rs at thistime to be preferable I wishtoreserve the right to eifect such changes, modifications, `and variations as may be suggested yby experience and eX- periment, so long as they are properly embraced' within the `scope lof the protection prayed. y

What Iclaim is-- Y f r 1. Thecombination with a portable balingpress, and a cable connected to said press for `the application of power thereto, of a pivoted tongue provided with anupstandin g hook and with a terminal dependin g anchor, said anchor being ,designedtog engage the ground to v(hold thefpress against movement, and said ICG IIO

hook beingdesigned Lfor engagement with the cable, ywhereby powerlapplied to thelatter` will'firstl swing the tongue :upwardly to disv engage the `anchor from lthe ground and will i `of thesupports59.: Afterthis pointis reached, `therefore, the continued forward movement@` yof the vplu-nger` is -underthe action ofatoggle ,defined by the `swingingl arms 59'and theshort endof thelever 60, the result being that the.,

then beexerted to transport thepress to'another poi r itof'i'1se. Y

thebali ng-chamber, a plunger movable therein, and means for ,retracting the plunger, of a swinging lever-support, a plunger-operatinglever fulcrumed upon said Swinging support and disposed for engagement with l(he plunger and means for eectingthe complete automatic disengagement therefrom at .one

in, andv iplunger-retracting mechanism, said plungerbeing provided with a vertical shoul- 2.fIna1baling-press, the combination with der, of a pair' of swinging arms supported by the press-frame, a plunger-operating lever fulcrumed between the free ends of said arms and provided with a curved beak disposed for engagement with the vertical shoulder of the plunger, means for operating the lever to reciprocate the plunger and to automatically disengage the lever from the plunger at one limit of movement of the latter, and a reactive device for restoring said lever to its normal position. i

4. In a baling-press, the combination With the baling-chamber, a plunger and plungerretracting mechanism, said plunger being notched in its upper side to form a vertical shoulder, of a pair of terminally-pivoted sup-` porting-arms, an operating-lever fulcrumed between the free ends of said arms and provided With a curved beak engaging the shoulder, reactive mechanism forV restoring the operating-lever to its normal position,and blockand-tackle operating means for operating the lever against the resistance of the retracting devices and for effecting the automatic disengagement of the beak from the vertical shoulder of the plunger.

5. In a baling-press, the combination with the baling-chamber, of a plunger comprising a bifurcated head, the bifurcations of Which are disposed to yield laterally, acompression member carried by each bifurcation of the head, and extended horizontally beyond the opposite sides of the plunger proper, a guard disposed to protect the interval between the compression members, and means for operating the plunger 6. In a Daling-press, the combination with the baling-chamber, and a plunger having a bifurcated head, the upper bifurcation of which is designed to yield laterally, of antifriction-rollers carried by the plunger and movable in the sides of the press-frame, and other rollers carried by the lower portion of the plunger-head and movable upon the bottom Wall of the press frame, compression members carried by the bifurcations of the plunger-head, a guard-plate secured to the lower compression member and having slidable contact with the upper compression member, and means for operating the plunger.

7. In a baling-press, the combination with the baling-chamber and plunger, of checkspools disposed beyond the opposite sides of the chamber, each of said spools being formed with terminal check-wheels extended into the chamber, and with a ratchet-Wheel disposed between and of less diameter than the check- Wheels, a pawl disposed for engagement with each of the ratchet-wheels to prevent rearward rotationfof the check-spools, and means for operating the plunger.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE DANIEL HAYES. `Witnessesz GEO. A. NEWTON, E. T. JoHNsoN. 

